Greyhound reduces service on major B.C. routes

[GordonH]

Here is a place were you can park your vehicle in front yard & your plane in the backyard.
https://mabellakegolf.com/airpark/

Added: if you don't like loud noise then invest in a really good set silicone ear plugs. lol

[alanjh595]

Maybe Air Canada should have to support these areas? Would be nice to have a jet from Kelowna to Osoyoos.

They can't make money on a 5 min flight! Not to mention that by the time you drove to the airport, parked, went thru security and waited to board. Taxied and took off you could drive to Osoyoos and back already.

Sorry alan but that's not one of your smartest ideas. Stick to cooking.

AND obviously, neither is taking the bus. (yeah, I get the last line too.)

[Dizzy1]

Hey don't laugh. Take a peek at AC or WS's Facebook page and read the complaints why they don't fly non-stop from Enderby to Corner Brook

[Bsuds]

Maybe we could put seats and windows in a shipping container and use a helicopter to move people around.
Or just use a bus...

[1life2live]

This mornings Castanet reporting of the South Okanagan and Similkameen being linked to the Central Okanagan are great news for public transit. The Irony is that the same areas being gutted by Private contractors like First are now going to be the ones biding on the public contracts. The Family run operator of the Penticton system can not be long for the Transit world with these Massive transportation predators positioning for battle. Bye Bye to local sense and sensibility.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton ... on-offered

[Dizzy1]

The Irony is that the same areas being gutted by Private contractors like First are now going to be the ones biding on the public contracts. The Family run operator of the Penticton system can not be long for the Transit world with these Massive transportation predators positioning for battle. Bye Bye to local sense and sensibility.

Really? Berry and Smith has been doing a pretty good job fending off these "massive transportation predators" so far, its been doing it quite well since the 70s and I'm sure they will continue to do so.

Berry and Smith can bid for the contract just like anyone else can - but usually it all comes down to is money. If B&S can't afford to stay competitive, well then that's just the way it is - someone who is able to keep costs down needs to come in or the taxpayer needs to approve the extra funding to maintain a "family run operator" - your choice.

Linking the South OK to the Central OK, in fact linking the whole OK Valley together through public transit has been on the books long before First ever got their first contract here, however, the local politicians are the hurdles that need to be overcome. It took a few years to convince NORD and the City of Vernon to fund their part of linking the valley and so far RDOS has expressed little interest in doing the same.

[Jflem1983]

The Irony is that the same areas being gutted by Private contractors like First are now going to be the ones biding on the public contracts. The Family run operator of the Penticton system can not be long for the Transit world with these Massive transportation predators positioning for battle. Bye Bye to local sense and sensibility.

Really? Berry and Smith has been doing a pretty good job fending off these "massive transportation predators" so far, its been doing it quite well since the 70s and I'm sure they will continue to do so.

Berry and Smith can bid for the contract just like anyone else can - but usually it all comes down to is money. If B&S can't afford to stay competitive, well then that's just the way it is - someone who is able to keep costs down needs to come in or the taxpayer needs to approve the extra funding to maintain a "family run operator" - your choice.

Linking the South OK to the Central OK, in fact linking the whole OK Valley together through public transit has been on the books long before First ever got their first contract here, however, the local politicians are the hurdles that need to be overcome. It took a few years to convince NORD and the City of Vernon to fund their part of linking the valley and so far RDOS has expressed little interest in doing the same.

Why should tax payers pay for these frivolous luxuries. Personally i have a vehicle or 3 i dont take the loser cruiser. I dont want to pay for some loser

[Dizzy1]

Why should tax payers pay for these frivolous luxuries. Personally i have a vehicle or 3 i dont take the loser cruiser. I dont want to pay for some loser

Because public transportation isn't a luxury - its a very basic fundamental on a developed society. You don't have to take it, you have the choice - yet their are others who have the same choice as you do and they do take it

[Jflem1983]

If people were taking the bus. Greyhound wouldnt be going under ..

[TRIX]

The argument some are making on this thread is that Greyhound cuts services to the point that the route becomes unserviceable. This is being done by offering little or inconvenient service. Since they, via their parent company are one of the largest public transit management companies they then use the monies saved by the cancelation of these now "non profitable" routes and bid on the public transit RFP'S where all infrastructure costs are essentially eliminated. The company now can win the bid, service the previous Greyhound routes and reap the benefits via management charges for operating as a public system. They then take those benefits (profits) and distribute them to "Hard Working senior managers" and private shareholders overseas. They were exercising this model in the north but had the rug pulled out from under them when they lost the Bid for Terrace/Kitimat. They did not see that coming as the Grand parent company was a family owned business that started there almost 40 years ago. It was bought out in the early 2000s by the multi national parent company we know today as a corporate giant with very little regard for anything but profits.

[Dizzy1]

If people were taking the bus. Greyhound wouldnt be going under ..

I don't disagree with you, inter city coach/stage lines are a dying breed. But there are still people that do require some sort of public transportation, and yes, even tho you disagree, is a very basic fundamental of a developed society.

Having said that, the cost difference in running an MCI D4500 on such routes with minimal passengers is a heck of a lot higher than running a Chevy Arboc or Ford Polar.

[Dizzy1]

The argument some are making on this thread is that Greyhound cuts services to the point that the route becomes unserviceable. This is being done by offering little or inconvenient service. Since they, via their parent company are one of the largest public transit management companies they then use the monies saved by the cancelation of these now "non profitable" routes and bid on the public transit RFP'S where all infrastructure costs are essentially eliminated. The company now can win the bid, service the previous Greyhound routes and reap the benefits via management charges for operating as a public system. They then take those benefits (profits) and distribute them to "Hard Working senior managers" and private shareholders overseas. They were exercising this model in the north but had the rug pulled out from under them when they lost the Bid for Terrace/Kitimat. They did not see that coming as the Grand parent company was a family owned business that started there almost 40 years ago. It was bought out in the early 2000s by the multi national parent company we know today as a corporate giant with very little regard for anything but profits.

Good Lord that was a funny read.

But tell me, this "Grandparent company" that was bought out by First (which was actually mid 2000s, not early 2000s) - what happened to them? How did First acquire them? There must be a reason why they're not around anymore, this "family owned business" - please, do tell us.

And BTW, the profits that First makes, they go to the shareholders - and the people of BC can buy those shares just as much as anyone else in the world. Have you bought yours to keep these profits local?

[TRIX]

Yes, Mid 2000s, my apologies. The deal that the "family" business did was very lucrative and beneficial financially to the partners involved. The cost was worth the expense as it was the way that the parent company could break into the BC Transit market and aquire a tier 1 property, Kelowna and districts. They have done noting but expand from there. I have no issue with learning and exploiting the system if that is what the system allows, which it does. My wants are to look at the current model and make the contractor primarily accountable to the region not BCT. This is where the notion of the OTA comes in. The Okanagan Transit authority would be a board made up of regional interests with the ability to manipulate the systems from the boarder to Kamloops and Merrit to Salmon arm in the interest of the region at the forefront.
Oh ya, yes I do have interest in the Parent company but also find it necessary to call a spade a spade.

[TRIX]

Big news today, The dog is dead. A blanket statement released that the west is not viable so they will no longer serve it. The parent company is a multi billion dollar company based out of Europe. I understand the economics of business and agree that money must be made, but how much. I have been told by the company that it is not about making money it is about making enough money. I see this as code for profits to the shareholders. There is no attachment to our communities by this monster company and they are the same ones embedded into our public Transit around the province. We should be warry of this Company milking our public system and pulling the pin on it also. I do not blame the company, First is in it for the money, absolutely, with no thought of our communities. I want our politicians, local and Provincial to give Contracts to entities close to home with feet in our communities, Not hands in our pockets like this multinational corporation based in Scotland. With any luck at all this may be the first sign of them getting out of Transit in our province which then can be replaced with a regional board of players from the area and invested in our communities. The Okanagan Transit Authority, OTA, would be a great way for our current NDP/Green alliance to invest in the people of the interior while supporting their own Green agenda. They would get my vote.

[OKkayak]

Big news today, The dog is dead. A blanket statement released that the west is not viable so they will no longer serve it. The parent company is a multi billion dollar company based out of Europe. I understand the economics of business and agree that money must be made, but how much.

Greyhound hasn't been viable in Western Canada long before First bought the company from Laidlaw.

I have been told by the company that it is not about making money it is about making enough money. I see this as code for profits to the shareholders.

Shareholders haven't seen a penny since 2007, they've had enough.

There is no attachment to our communities by this monster company and they are the same ones embedded into our public Transit around the province. We should be warry of this Company milking our public system and pulling the pin on it also. I do not blame the company, First is in it for the money, absolutely, with no thought of our communities. I want our politicians, local and Provincial to give Contracts to entities close to home with feet in our communities, Not hands in our pockets like this multinational corporation based in Scotland. With any luck at all this may be the first sign of them getting out of Transit in our province which then can be replaced with a regional board of players from the area and invested in our communities. The Okanagan Transit Authority, OTA, would be a great way for our current NDP/Green alliance to invest in the people of the interior while supporting their own Green agenda. They would get my vote.

First is not in it to support communities, they're a business, nothing more, nothing less. They answer to the shareholders, not the people of Smalltown.